Baptisms are the BEST!!!
Well another week has come and gone. Today is the 27 well it is here any way. So that means i have been gone for 2 months sounds crazy but i have heaps and heaps to go!!! This week is Transfers so I might be at a different place come Thursday. I will find out Wednesday morning what the plan is and then you leave Thursday morning. I’m kinda nervous because i have grown such a great love for the people of this area and ward so it would be tough to leave, but i will serve where ever i am called. A few of you have been asking for personal hand written letters, so i wrote to a few of my friends that are serving in the states that i met in the MTC, and it was way to much money for the missionary budget of mine haha, but just because i send out one email doesn’t mean I love anyone less or more just that i am broke as a joke and thats good because it keeps us humble and we must rely on the LORD. Well I have good news about the fleas I set a bomboff in my flat and have had zero bites since so that has been nice!!! As for the pains they are still here and I work hard as I can each day and leave the rest to the Lord. Aunt Cassie thanks so much for all the advice you totally have my doctors in check. My x-ray was all clear so that is good just waiting on news about the blood tests, but all is well with that. So this past Saturday I had my first baptism as a missionary (don’t worry Aubrie you will always be my first and my favourite) it was awesome. We had heaps of people attend and the mother was so excited for her boys. Baptisms are way stressful but always worth the blood, sweat, and tears. I got to baptize one of the boys and confirm another on Sunday. So the priesthood has been exercised greatly. It was probably the best experiences thus far to see these boys so happy and even better their sweet mother Taina so happy to be active in the church again. Man it upsets me that it took me this long to realize exactly how mothers feel every emotion for their children and how important they truly are, the same with fathers, just in a different way. Just as it talks about in preach my gospel, families are ordained of God, and they are there to bless each member that is in that family. Fortunately I have a temporary family now not quite asgood as the one back home, but it will have to do for now. I will be sending a few things home this week, some gifts i received that are just too nice to just leave here. The first thing is a Tongan mat that you wear over the Ephi-conga (skirt) it is was nice and was a gift from Sister Taufa. Also there will be 2 purses for Estee and Alyssa, Happy birthday. They are woven and really nice, well i like them, but you can chose which one goes to which person. The last thing will be a really nice lava lava that i don’t want to ruin so it can be sent home. I have junk ones that i wear around the flat. In fact unless we are out preaching I am always in a lava-lava. Oh and some cds with pictures will be coming your way as well i am having a member put them to cd so I don’t have to spend so much money at the store. Mom you will be proud of all the pictures I take. I have pretty much documented EVERYTHING. HAHA Now to answer a few questions: Yes I’m on a bike, my favourite part of New Zealand is the people, I am currently teaching about 15 investigators which is a decent number for where I am at, but we are trying to have more. I know that sounds bad because most areas around the world would kill for that many. I only get to go to the temple 2 times a year and that’s only if you are within a reasonable distance, I love the food, and I am learning Somoan little by little just the basic stuff like hello and what not, but its fun to talk in other languages. The funny thing is that in America it is impressive to speak 2 languages but here most people speak 2, 3, or 4. It is so cool. Its good to hear about Brandon Parkers Farewell tell him good luck. Estee if you could send me the blog link I can look at it if I am emailed the link. Mom I will get the sizes and what not to you or see if they can call you or something. Thank you for the medicine for my face and all the prayers I love you all and think about you daily sorry for the all over the place email, but my mind turns to mush when I sit in front of a computer and try and answer and tell you about everything. Kyle thanks for the email now you only owe me like 2 more since thats all I wrote you (sorry I now realize how important that is) Alyssa a boy what is his name? Please all young ladies that read this remember there is nothing more important than your virtue. Motheres and father please talk to your daughters about virtue and let them realize how great it is. Here in New Zealand Virtue means nothing and it makes me so sad. I love the work and love all of you, but im about to be kicked off. Love Elder Stucki
Update from Matt
Man oh Man the people in the library must think I am the saddest guy every as I read each email today tears filled my eyes and rolled down my faces in complete awe of the love that I have behind me. It is in credible and makes a mission possible. I never thought it would be this hard to be away from home or not be able to nag you mom about your pains or worries, but it has been one of the toughest times of my life!!! Fortunately like President Porter Told me in my interview this past week that I have had this trouble because the Lord knows I can handle them and that I am in his hands. I had interviews right before I went to the cardiologist and at the end of my interview President Porter Said this prayer that I will never forget it brought such peace into my heart and I felt like no matter what happens the lord had a plan for me and that I will never stop being a missionary or serving to my full abilities. I love my mission President somuch and his sweet sweet wife. No one will EVER be able to replace my parent in any way but they do the best they can and that is a whole lot!!! I was also happy to hear just like everyone else that my heart is ok, but it was hard because now I still must find the problem and fix it. Fortunately this past week we have been super busy and I just pray each day that I will just have enough strength to make it through the daily activities. And sure enough each day I have just enough energy to make it. This has been such a trial of faith but I’m glad it cam now just as my president said, let your faith grow with this trial and you will be far beyond where you would be with out it. Aunt Cassie I love all the questions and they are the same that the doctor asked me ha-ha all things are good as far and hydration and heart burn. They doctor Sent me to get X-rays and a few blood tests so I will get the results of that this week. He also upped my ib-prophen intake and it seems to be helping!!! Thank you so much for your concern and prayers!!! Well that’s enough of the boring stuff lets talk about the good things. This week we set the 3 young boys that we have been working with so hard. We set them for July 25 so this Saturday!!! Not sure who is doing the baptisms and all that, but they are going forward. We are so excited for them and pray that nothing will go wrong within the next week that would delay this great event. Yesterday we spoke in church and it went really well. I spoke on Revelation and Elder Byrnes spoke on setting goals. Of course we tied it all into missionary work ha-ha. Our ward is rather small like most English wards in the area. Only 100-150 people tops, but we hope that will change with hard work. The Samoan and Tongan wards are the big ones here. We have been getting all sorts of gifts this past week a few lava-lavas and we are getting the special woven mats that you wear with your ephi-conga (skirt) to church. They are very expensive, but the members here are so nice and don’t take money or no for an answer. I will probably send them hope because I will have no need for them here since we can only war lava-lavas in our flat. So just hold onto them for when I can where them to church when I get home. I also bought an awesome Maori blanket last week and I will send pictures home in a few weeks of all my recent findings. One of the only crummy things about New Zealand is that, as far as I know it is the only place that has fleas that bite humans and man does our flat have them! I have bites everywhere over 30 on my legs and that’s just above the knees. It’s a party everyday ha-ha. I forgot to tell everyone last week, but I had my first dog attack well close to any way. It was dark and we went in a short gate started toward this door when we hear this dog running at us ha-ha. We booked it and hoped over the fence and were just laughing so hard the rest of the night. Now to some of the questions Hamilton is about 1.5 hours from where I am and that is where the temple is. Our mission doesn’t use pass along cards or at least doesn’t supply them. I think it was getting to be too much of an expense. Which I though was crazy with the huge push for them in Vegas. Also EVERYONE is allowed to email me but I can only write to immediate family. I am allowed to write regular letters on p-days only, but I have been slacking in that area ha-ha. But I try to send out long emails so you can all experience the miracles I see each day. Mom I was at dinner last night and the mother there asked if I could have my family send a gold ctr ring like the basic shield one to me to give to them and they will pay for it. We don’t have church book stores here like back home. She is the same sister who is now fixing my other pants because they got a whole in the same spot as my first ones. If you could do that that would be great and their daughters email in salema-taufa@hotmail.com Taufa is their last name and they are also the ones giving me the nice mat. So if the ring isn’t crazy expensive just pay for it out of my money. Oh and if you will email her to tell her what it cost or if you have any questions, but they don’t have internet so she may not reply straight away. Last thing I need to know what I should do about my face medicine. I am just about out so let me know what I should do please. Well my time is up, but thanks to Mom, Dad, Aunt Pam, Uncle Les, Aunt Teresa, Aunt Cassie, Grandma and Grandpa Tryon, Aunt Tiffany, Mary-Kate, and Estee for the wonderful emails this week. Thanks for the prayers fasting and temple roles I have been put on!!! Everyone keep up the great work I love you all and Think of you often!!! Mom thanks for sending this to everyone.With heaps and heaps of love, Elder Stucki
Elder Stucki has a good heart
I am happy to report that Matt's Echo-cardiogram came back normal. Sis. Porter called today to say that Miracles have followed Elder Stucki every step of the way. Matt had bloodwork done and they will do a chest x-ray on Monday. So far the doctors think that the pain might be coming from a strained muscle around Matt's heart because the heart looks great! Thanks for your prayers. Stephanie
OH yay i love the Doctor NOT
Just to preface Matt's e-mail. We got a call from Matt's Mission President's wife Friday. She told my mom that Matt has been having some pain in his heart. He's been to the doctor and had a stress test. His EKG was normal. He has a follow up appointment with the heart specialist Thursday (his Friday). We are praying for him and would invite you to also. With that said, here you go:
Well what a week it has been the work has slowed way down since I have had all this heart pain. I got a blessing and pray often for it to go away but it isn’t, meds just dull the pain but it always comes back. Hopefully this week the cardiologist will be able to find the problem and fix it so the work can go forward. No matter what happens or where I am called to serve the lords hands is in all things and thank goodness for modern day technology that helps us find out why our body is being such a pansy. But I was happy that sister porter called you and let you know what’s going on. They will give me a receipt and I will probably fax it home or mail it and you can see if insurance will cover anything. They want $725 paid in cash all upfront before they will see me. Its crazy I know, but if I could get over it I would. The lord blesses us when we are obedient, not when we are stupid so I figured I better get these pains checked out. I went to a regular doctor and was going to have to pay $95 dollars for the visit and an ECG, but the nurse that did the ECG was a member and took care of the whole bill!!! Man what a weight that was off my shoulders!!! I hope that it will be something minor that so medicine will take care of, but what ever it is there is no stopping the work as a missionary I have promised my self that I will serve in what ever way I can even if it is just making phone calls. It has all been so crazy though because I get the most pain when I walk for a long period of time, and that’s all I did before I left was walk behind a mower all day everyday, so it just doesn’t make sense, but as it says in Ether after the trial of our faith is when we will be blessed. Well enough about that!!!
Now to some of the Questions I got this past week in emails: Yes I do ride a bike and love it (most of the time). My Flat is next to the brick one and in the back it looks like a shed!!! Dad we talk to everyone we can wherever we are. We have to get 10 “preach by the ways” per day is the goal so that just means as we are out and about we talk to 10 people and try to get appointments with them, and its works pretty well!!! Mom I cant wear the skirts (Ephi-Honga) except in the flats . My ward is great just a little slow in the missionary area, they have had 0 baptisms this year, but we are setting a date for 2 young boys this Wednesday!!! So that is way exciting!!! My companion is mostly good. I am with him for a reason and learn from him a lot, we disagree on a few things but I just keep quiet on most of it to try and have as much unity as possible. He is more of a go with the flow kind of guy not a go out and get it done kind like me which is good but hard to work with some times, but like I said we are together for a reason and I take it day by day. The horse was in little steak strips. Aunt Cassie your spider bite sounds crazy, but Esteta doesn’t want to change churches mostly because she has so many friends and just feels comfortable I guess, but we r still trying our best to help her take that leap of faith!!! Aunt Teresa I definitely feel the love from Vegas and everywhere else, and I guess my heart just can’t handle all of it hahaha, but keep it coming!!!
I hope I answered all the questions I try to write them down and answer them when I write back but I am sure I forgot something. Sorry!!! Oh and mom I now write all my emails on Microsoft word save them to my memory stick and spell check them so I wont have any more emails that don’t send. And it also makes you happy because it looks some what like proper English, but you don’t understand when we get to the library and sit at a computer its like a foreign object since we never use them , and our brain is going way faster than we can type!!! So sorry for not being completely proper all the time but I am getting better!!!
If someone could look up what it takes to be a landscape architect through UNLV and maybe byu (its lower case on purpose) I am curious of what it takes and how long. I’m not sure if that’s what I want to do for ever, but it keeps coming to mind so you never know!!! Estee I can’t wait for your package maybe you could send we some drink mix to flavour this awful water and all the pictures you can ha-ha my companions and fellow missionaries and investigators love pictures!!!
Well other news from Otara ummm our fireside that we put on for our ward went great President and Sister Porter did a great job speaking just as they always do. What a sacrifice it must be to be a mission president!!! We had 2 of our investigators come to that and 5 to church so it was a good Sunday for sure. It is weird to think that you get my emails on Sunday, but it is Monday here!!! I miss everyone and love you even more, but this is where I am supposed to be for now, so that’s a good thing to know that the Lord is happy with what I am doing!!! I know as we follow the counsels of the church and try and be Christ like the Lord will bless us. Just like it says in D&C The lord is bound when you do what he says but when we don’t do what he says he has no promise. The lord can’t lie to us or he would cease to be God. I know the gospel is true and its of God not some made up thing, but it is alive and growing as people feel of the spirit they get a knowledge for themselves that it is true and that’s when Christ comes in and takes away all the bad things that we have done and through him we are perfected. I love this work. I love my family and all my friends!!! And Pray for all of you each and everyday!!! May the Lord bless us all when we do what is right and are doing the best we can. And as my ward mission leader always says “Elder it’s the lords work” I bare testimony this is the lord work, if it wasn’t than 19-26 year old boys could not become men and do the things that we have the privilege of doing. May we all hearken to the words of the scriptures and to the words of the prophet and I promise as we do the blessing that will come will be more that we have room to receive them. Put your faith and trust in the lord and all will work out for your good!!!!!!!!
LOVE, Elder Stucki
Well what a week it has been the work has slowed way down since I have had all this heart pain. I got a blessing and pray often for it to go away but it isn’t, meds just dull the pain but it always comes back. Hopefully this week the cardiologist will be able to find the problem and fix it so the work can go forward. No matter what happens or where I am called to serve the lords hands is in all things and thank goodness for modern day technology that helps us find out why our body is being such a pansy. But I was happy that sister porter called you and let you know what’s going on. They will give me a receipt and I will probably fax it home or mail it and you can see if insurance will cover anything. They want $725 paid in cash all upfront before they will see me. Its crazy I know, but if I could get over it I would. The lord blesses us when we are obedient, not when we are stupid so I figured I better get these pains checked out. I went to a regular doctor and was going to have to pay $95 dollars for the visit and an ECG, but the nurse that did the ECG was a member and took care of the whole bill!!! Man what a weight that was off my shoulders!!! I hope that it will be something minor that so medicine will take care of, but what ever it is there is no stopping the work as a missionary I have promised my self that I will serve in what ever way I can even if it is just making phone calls. It has all been so crazy though because I get the most pain when I walk for a long period of time, and that’s all I did before I left was walk behind a mower all day everyday, so it just doesn’t make sense, but as it says in Ether after the trial of our faith is when we will be blessed. Well enough about that!!!
Now to some of the Questions I got this past week in emails: Yes I do ride a bike and love it (most of the time). My Flat is next to the brick one and in the back it looks like a shed!!! Dad we talk to everyone we can wherever we are. We have to get 10 “preach by the ways” per day is the goal so that just means as we are out and about we talk to 10 people and try to get appointments with them, and its works pretty well!!! Mom I cant wear the skirts (Ephi-Honga) except in the flats . My ward is great just a little slow in the missionary area, they have had 0 baptisms this year, but we are setting a date for 2 young boys this Wednesday!!! So that is way exciting!!! My companion is mostly good. I am with him for a reason and learn from him a lot, we disagree on a few things but I just keep quiet on most of it to try and have as much unity as possible. He is more of a go with the flow kind of guy not a go out and get it done kind like me which is good but hard to work with some times, but like I said we are together for a reason and I take it day by day. The horse was in little steak strips. Aunt Cassie your spider bite sounds crazy, but Esteta doesn’t want to change churches mostly because she has so many friends and just feels comfortable I guess, but we r still trying our best to help her take that leap of faith!!! Aunt Teresa I definitely feel the love from Vegas and everywhere else, and I guess my heart just can’t handle all of it hahaha, but keep it coming!!!
I hope I answered all the questions I try to write them down and answer them when I write back but I am sure I forgot something. Sorry!!! Oh and mom I now write all my emails on Microsoft word save them to my memory stick and spell check them so I wont have any more emails that don’t send. And it also makes you happy because it looks some what like proper English, but you don’t understand when we get to the library and sit at a computer its like a foreign object since we never use them , and our brain is going way faster than we can type!!! So sorry for not being completely proper all the time but I am getting better!!!
If someone could look up what it takes to be a landscape architect through UNLV and maybe byu (its lower case on purpose) I am curious of what it takes and how long. I’m not sure if that’s what I want to do for ever, but it keeps coming to mind so you never know!!! Estee I can’t wait for your package maybe you could send we some drink mix to flavour this awful water and all the pictures you can ha-ha my companions and fellow missionaries and investigators love pictures!!!
Well other news from Otara ummm our fireside that we put on for our ward went great President and Sister Porter did a great job speaking just as they always do. What a sacrifice it must be to be a mission president!!! We had 2 of our investigators come to that and 5 to church so it was a good Sunday for sure. It is weird to think that you get my emails on Sunday, but it is Monday here!!! I miss everyone and love you even more, but this is where I am supposed to be for now, so that’s a good thing to know that the Lord is happy with what I am doing!!! I know as we follow the counsels of the church and try and be Christ like the Lord will bless us. Just like it says in D&C The lord is bound when you do what he says but when we don’t do what he says he has no promise. The lord can’t lie to us or he would cease to be God. I know the gospel is true and its of God not some made up thing, but it is alive and growing as people feel of the spirit they get a knowledge for themselves that it is true and that’s when Christ comes in and takes away all the bad things that we have done and through him we are perfected. I love this work. I love my family and all my friends!!! And Pray for all of you each and everyday!!! May the Lord bless us all when we do what is right and are doing the best we can. And as my ward mission leader always says “Elder it’s the lords work” I bare testimony this is the lord work, if it wasn’t than 19-26 year old boys could not become men and do the things that we have the privilege of doing. May we all hearken to the words of the scriptures and to the words of the prophet and I promise as we do the blessing that will come will be more that we have room to receive them. Put your faith and trust in the lord and all will work out for your good!!!!!!!!
LOVE, Elder Stucki
Cold Rain and Good Food
Hello everyone well it was another busy week in OTARA home of the cold and rain. I love it though everyone has an added measure of pity for letting us in when we are drenched from head to toe. Haha. I have had some good and sad experiences this week. This lady Eseta who is Samoan that we have been teaching for just over a month well not me but other elders I met her just a few fays into my mission though. She is amazing, but told us that she love what we teach and believes its true and she reads from the Book of Mormon almost everyday, but she told us that she couldn’t leave her church. It was one of the hardest things I have had to swallow since I've been here. The worst part about us is that she loves us so much. There has not been a time when we have come that she hasn’t baked something special, and boy is she a goooooooooddddd cook. Grandma you still are the best but she is definitely in the top ten in my book. After she told us the crummy news she reminded us that her home is our home. We will always have a place to stay and eat, she offered to do our laundry and many othere things that her mother did for missionaries. I told her that she is the kind of person that my mother prays for me to meet and come in contact with. The next day she invited us over for tea which just means milo, well hot chocolate in America. So of course we said yes, and when we got there she had this huge spread from steaks to meatballs chicken rice and taro (taro is a root that at first is gross but I love it now….way better than kim chee kyle haha). It was all so amazing and good with love. She also told us that her older kids that we teach it is totally up to them what church to join so we will never drop her because all it will take is just the right spirit at just the right time to fully convert her. On a slighter happier note we organized a fireside in our ward that we got our mission president to come and to speak at which is a really big deal seeing how busy he is with all the responsabilities of a of a mission president. That will be this next Sunday and should be great for member and non-member alike. Also, I had my first zone conference this week on Friday. It was amazing our president is such a motivational speaker and knows just what to say. I know that that is only through the power of god that has been given to him. He has been using this saying through the winter that is “Got Fire” and it just means is the spirit burning inside you to keep you and others warm though the winter months? So to go along with this saying that he came up with he had two elders that know how to breathe fire come out and do a show for us in the church parking lot. It was INTENSE!!!! I’m sure it was breaking all kinds of rules, but he is the president he can do what he wants hahaha. So I cant remember if I told you I ate horse or not in my last email, but I did and it was yum. Also this week I had lamb for the first time and I liked it as well. Grandpa you would love it here people are just like you and will always feed you no matter if you are hungry or not!!! In fact we don’t have meal appointments, they call them feeds. Its so funny to hear people say “Elders wheres your feed tonight” I feel like cattle. So far it is still pretty cold so today im going to go buy a nice blanket so I can return the ones that the relief society president has been letting me use. Also Im going to buy a flag of new Zealand and do the same thing kyle did with his companions pictures on the flag. On the note of flags I definitely missed seeing the fireworks from home or even just the stands that are everywhere selling them. It was just another sday nothing special like it is back home. Mom I never sent anything from the mtc you might be thinking of another boy who I told you had to send his stuff, but not me. Also I need the pics that we took with all my friends at our house and the ones I took with all the families that came. People love to see pictures and it helps the days go better to see familiar faces. Estee that is awesome that you got a house, but you know me I want to know about the out side of it….grass no grass trees, garden you know the important stuff haha. Its been hard here with the “grass” uncle Les and I would call it weeds!!!! It a mix of all the same weeds we have back home and they cut it crazy short so then its just mud everywhere since it rains so often. But as you can see in the pics I sent home I have been improving our flat as best I can!!!! Other funny news I got my first hole in a pair of my pants. I know mom I need to be more careful but I don’t even know how it happened!!! Its right below the zipper but a nice lady in our ward is fixing them up for me, and a button that fell off that same suit coat. Its funny how on the mission you have your church clothes and then your…….church clothes. No in between other than what you wear to bed. Well that’s my email for the week I love all of you and pray for you each day!!!!
TO MY FRIENDS: Elise I got your letter in the mail this week that you sent to the mtc it was good to hear about graduation and that you are excited for college. Please send me and my mom brynns email and have her email me and Kendal too Thanks. Lauren how is your soccer going, when do you start up, and could you have lane and Lindsey email me please and my mom so they can get my weekly emails? Oh and whoever has chris’s email could I have it please so I can keep him updated as well. I love all of you lots keep up the good work and let me know how life is.
TO MY FRIENDS: Elise I got your letter in the mail this week that you sent to the mtc it was good to hear about graduation and that you are excited for college. Please send me and my mom brynns email and have her email me and Kendal too Thanks. Lauren how is your soccer going, when do you start up, and could you have lane and Lindsey email me please and my mom so they can get my weekly emails? Oh and whoever has chris’s email could I have it please so I can keep him updated as well. I love all of you lots keep up the good work and let me know how life is.
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